USMA vs USAFA?

[2020 wannabe]

I don't think your question about which SA would be best for you is invalid

I think the scenario in which you introduced it is invalid.

If you have a congressional Nomination to USAFA, USAFA will not ask your MOC to ask you if they offered you an appointment would you turn down USMA and accept their offer and do so within X days.

If you lack a nomination source to USAFA they may ask you (not your MOC) if they spent a VP or Superintendent nomination/appointment would you accept it as those bullets are few and far between

Otherwise USMA doesn't check with USAFA about who they have offered Appointments and vice versa

And I went to a pretty good source in USAFA admissions to ask the question because the scenario as described was 'unique'

Let me start off to say I have no knowledge base other than what I have gathered from these forums over the last several months, but is it possible for an MOC to change their slate after they have submitted it to USAFA. The only scenario I can think of is that the MOC wants to change their slate for some reason??

 

[Pima]

Our friends DS's MOC did switch their slate. Their DS got principal to USAFA, but wanted USNA. He called the MoC and asked for him to switch. The MoC contacted the principal candidate for USNA, and lo and behold that candidate wanted USAFA over USNA. Thus, the MoC did indeed switch their nominations after submitting their slates.

 

[kinnem]

Our friends DS's MOC did switch their slate. Their DS got principal to USAFA, but wanted USNA. He called the MoC and asked for him to switch. The MoC contacted the principal candidate for USNA, and lo and behold that candidate wanted USAFA over USNA. Thus, the MoC did indeed switch their nominations after submitting their slates.

Sometimes you have to wonder. You'd think this could have been handled "correctly" the first time. Of course we have no idea of what they might have told the MOC interviewing committee and it's possible they tried to "game" the system.

 

[Cerberi]

In mid March?

In your scenario the candidate called the MOC not the SA calling the MOC to call the candidate to see if they would be willing accept an appointment to the SA in a shortened timeframe different than other candidates who will be offered appointments in the next couple of weeks and given until May 1 to make a decision because SA1 'knows' they have an appointment/LOA from SA2.

From someone in USAFA admissions today - the OPs description of events as written is 'complete BS' and 'would never happen'

 

[k$Mom]

Our friends DS's MOC did switch their slate. Their DS got principal to USAFA, but wanted USNA. He called the MoC and asked for him to switch. The MoC contacted the principal candidate for USNA, and lo and behold that candidate wanted USAFA over USNA. Thus, the MoC did indeed switch their nominations after submitting their slates.

Isn't this why you number the academies from most desired to least desired when you submit you request for nomination from the MOC?

 

[Pima]

Sometimes you have to wonder. You'd think this could have been handled "correctly" the first time. Of course we have no idea of what they might have told the MOC interviewing committee and it's possible they tried to "game" the system.

Actually, in that case our friend is ADAF, his Dad was also a USAFA grad, and their son knew they wanted to fly fixed wing, he wanted USNA more, but would have been happy at USAFA too. He never expected a principal (CO is a competitive state for USAFA) so he placed USNA as his top on all 3, and USAFA as number 2. Whereas, they came to find out the other candidate did the rotate number 1 on their list for each MoC. Thus, it was actually a domino effect. She placed USNA as her top choice and the only other slot to give him a principal was USAFA because he never placed any other SA on his list besides AF and USNA.

 

[Cerberi]

Actually, in that case our friend is ADAF, his Dad was also a USAFA grad, and their son knew they wanted to fly fixed wing, he wanted USNA more, but would have been happy at USAFA too. He never expected a principal (CO is a competitive state for USAFA) so he placed USNA as his top on all 3, and USAFA as number 2. Whereas, they came to find out the other candidate did the rotate number 1 on their list for each MoC. Thus, it was actually a domino effect. She placed USNA as her top choice and the only other slot to give him a principal was USAFA because he never placed any other SA on his list besides AF and USNA.

Did the slate change occur in mid March or before the Jan 31 deadline to submit the slates - recognizing many MOCs submit before the deadline

And (I assume in your scenario) the SA didn't call the MOC to call the candidate to ask 'if this... Would you... Within X days' (even though 'normal' appointees still have 47 days to decide)

 

[Pima]

Isn't this why you number the academies from most desired to least desired when you submit you request for nomination from the MOC?

We xposted
see my above post. Yes, you are SUPPOSE to list most to least, but not every kid knows they only want 1 branch, thus they will "game" the system and rotate their top pick for each MoC. That can than impact everyone else especially if the MoCs talk and spread the wealth.
~ IE in VA, getting 1 nomination to any SA is common, 2 is unlikely, and 3 is basically a unicorn.

 

[Pima]

Did the slate change occur in mid March or before the Jan 31 deadline to submit the slates - recognizing many MOCs submit before the deadline

And (I assume in your scenario) the SA didn't call the MOC to call the candidate to ask 'if this... Would you... Within X days' (even though 'normal' appointees still have 47 days to decide)

His MoC used the principal method, thus it really doesn't matter when it comes to deadlines. Many and probably the majority submit before the Jan. 31st deadline IMPO. His MoC submitted the slate mid-Nov. They immediately got on the phone the day they received it in the mail. It took about another week to switch, and it was a done deal by Thanksgiving.

I have heard of the SAs calling the MoCs, and I have even seen candidates that after the MoCs slate has been released getting a nom. It is typically the sighting a unicorn situation, but it does happen. I will caveat that with the SA gave them an LOA after the MoCs slate was submitted and not this late into the process.
~ USAFA is probably the stingiest on giving out LOAs. Those posters that I am talking about were proactive and contacted USAFA or at the very least their ALO to inform them that they had an LOA to another SA, but wanted USAFA. USAFA than made their own determination, and in some cases dropped an LOA. That in turn created the issue why they or the candidate called the MoC to find a nomination. It is NOT common, but trust me, if you go through the bowels on this site, you will find posters where in Feb., they got an MoC nom after the MoC closed their slate 4 months earlier. I can remember a poster 4 years ago that this was the exact case...they were from Illinois or Indiana, had no nom to 1 of the SAs, got a late LOA to that SA, and now was left scrambling to find a nom. At that point they only had a VP for that SA.

 

[Cerberi]

The horse is dead. But in no case and wild unicorn scenario you have cited did in

1. Mid March
2. An SA call a MOC to call a candidate
3. To inquire if said candidate would
4. Accept an appointment
5. In an abbreviated timeframe
6. Because the SA was concerned another SA had offered an LOA/Appointment to said candidate

It is such a bizarre story I called my friends at USAFA admissions and they laughed

They (note the plural aspect) commented that they were reading the story as OP described out loud to their friends and teammates for purposes getting a good chuckle to start their day

 

[NavyHoops]

I think part of the issue are candidates might not completely understand the entire scenario and mix things up in a unique unicorn type case. Regardless of the validity of the scenario, the OP asked a valid a question that may help them (unless they are troll) and many others facing this scenario right now, which one is the right SA/service for me?

 

[k$Mom]

I have been blessed to have a pretty awesome problem. I received an appointment to USMA in January, and I got a LOA in August. I applied to USAFA and liked it a lot but a lot later than West Point. My congresswoman called me last week and told me that USAFA wants to give me an appointment, but they want to know where I stand because they knew I got into West Point already. It seems like to me that USAFA asked them to change their slate for moe, because originally I did not receive an appointment to USAFA, and my district's nominations have been decided for at least 4months now. I have to tell them my decision tommorow, and I'm still undecided. I want to do international relations after. Does anyone know about IAS officers in the air force. Also, which academy is more chill/less hoohah because I am pretty laid back(but motivated).

Have you made your choice?

 

[af802990]

If you don't mind me asking what were your SAT or ACT scores?